The injury-depleted Detroit Red Wings went to Newark and held the New Jersey Devils to 11 shots Friday. Not surprisingly, they won 3-1.

The Devils showed why the have NHL’s second-worst offense, averaging just 2.2 goals per game.

“We created some quality chances,” delusional Devils coach Peter DeBoer told reporters after this fiasco. “I don’t look at a shot clock and say we didn’t have any offense. I thought we created enough chances to score three goals. It would’ve given us an opportunity to win the game.

“We didn’t cash in on some of our chances. With our group, we have to be opportunistic. If we get eight or nine chances in a game we have to find a way to score on two or three of them in order to have a chance to win. We didn’t do that.”

The individual Devils admit they need to get more pucks on goal. Here is of a sampling of comments made to NewJersey.com:

Jaromir Jagr: “I thought we had more shots than that. Maybe we were missing the net. Maybe we spent too much time in the corners. I don’t know.”

Adam Henrique: “We need to get more shots to the net. Our third periods have been our best the past couple of weeks here, but we can’t just rely on that. We have to find a way to get more opportunities earlier in the game.”

Andy Greene: “We have to find ways to generate more shots. I think we had 11 shots. That’s not going to cut it. We have to get more pucks to the net whether it’s D-men or forwards or bad angle shots. You see the goals that are scored. They’re all not pretty. Off the goalie’s pads and rebounds are sitting out there. We’ve got to find ways to get in those dirty areas.”

Some of the more talented Devils are mired in terrible scoring slumps. Damien Brunner hasn’t scored in his last 16 games, earning him a spot in the press box as a healthy scratch.

“I think the lesson for Brunner is he’s got to do a little but more in order to be in the lineup,” DeBoer told NewJersey.com. “ He’s a scorer, so I think if you’re scoring you can overlook some of the other areas of the ice where maybe he’s not as strong. When you’re not scoring, those things become magnified. When you go 10 or 12 games, eventually it gets to a point where something has to break.”

Michael Ryder has shown a bit more life lately after scoring just four points in his 15 November games. Travis Zajac has just two points in his last nine games.

The New York Rangers will have to build their offensive chemistry on the fly this season as new coach Alain Vigneault installs his system.

Captain Ryan Callahan is recovering nicely from shoulder surgery, but he doesn’t expect to be ready for opening night. Fellow winger Carl Hagelin is facing the same scenario.

Adding to the fun is the ongoing holdout of center Derek Stepan, who isn’t close to striking a deal with this cap-cuffed franchise. Stepan has thus far balked as the team’s offer of two years for a shade over $5 million.

His absence could help Brad Richards get off to a fast start with new coach Alain Vigneault. “To me, he looks real positive and he looks like he’s got a lot of energy, so I think he’s looking forward to the challenge that’s coming up with this season,” Vigneault told the New York media. “He seems to want to lead the troops and that’s what we want him to do.”

Here are some other storylines of note from NHL camp:

Alex Pietrangelo gets back to work. With a new seven-year, $45.5 million contract in hand, he will join Jay Bouwmeester in one of the NHL’s elite defensive tandems. His signing moves Kevin Shattenkirk back to the second pairing for the St. Louis Blues. It also reduced the chances of Ryan Whitney of earning a contract with his professional tryout.

Jaren Cowen gets back to work: The Ottawa Senators talked about an eight-year deal with their young defenseman before settling on a four-year deal. Cowen, the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, was limited to just seven games last season by hip surgery and has played just 90 NHL games. So establishing a fair value for Cowen is tricky. He finally agreed to a $12.4 million deal. Consider him a solid bet for a breakout season.

Claude Giroux recovers from finger surgery. When he was initially injured in a golf mishap, the Philadelphia Flyers feared their top scorer could miss the start of the season. But he is recovering quickly from surgery, enough to resume shooting pucks. “They say, 'Take your time.' We're going to start testing it more next week when we know there's no danger,” Giroux told NHL.com.

Jaromir Jagr’s painfully slow start. The destined Hall of Famer hasn’t been able to blend with his new teammates in camp. Lower body soreness has sidelined him indefinitely, preventing the New York Devils from building offensive chemistry with its new lineup. “There's no timetable,” Devils hockey czar Lou Lamoriello told the Newark Star-Ledger. “But we're not concerned.”

Daniel Alfredsson’s adjustment. He and fellow newcomer Stephen Weiss opened camp for the Detroit Red Wings on a line with Johan Franzen. That could be a formidable No. 2 unit. Alfredsson noted that his new team’s offensive system was similar to the one Ottawa used under coach Paul MacLean, former Reds Wings assistant coach.

Bobby Ryan’s adjustment. The Ottawa Senators are trying him on the top line with Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek. What is the key to developing good line chemistry? “Just playing together and skating to get familiar with each other,” Spezza told the Ottawa Sun. “There’s no real rhyme or reason why you have chemistry with a guy.”

Jarome Iginla’s adjustment. He and former Dallas Stars maintain Loui Eriksson are adapting to their new life with the Boston Bruins. Iginla will start off playing with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. “Krejci is a very smooth player,” Iginla told the Boston Herald. “He just finds ways to score or makes things happen; he’s a great passer. I love to score, so you always love to play with a great passer. “Looch is the best power forward in the game, as tough as they come. But (he is) also a smart player who creates a lot of room for his linemates.”

Francois Beauchemin’s recovery. The key Anaheim Ducks defenseman is aiming to start the season on the active roster despite undergoing knee surgery less than four months ago. ACL repairs can sideline athletes for six months or more. “I'm right where I want it to be because that's the same timing I had when I hurt my other knee,” he told NHL.com. “I came back playing at 4 1/2 months, and I think I’m right on time to do that now.”

Dany Heatley’s comeback. He is in the walk year of his contract with the Minnesota Wild. He is coming back from shoulder surgery. He had to spend a lot of time in the gym over the summer rehabbing his injury, so he reported to camp in top shape for a change.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has played subpar hockey during the last four postseasons.

He playoff save percentage was .834 two years ago and .883 last season, when he yielded his starting job to Tomas Vokoun. But the Penguins are still banking on him to be one of the NHL’s elite netminders.

“With a guy like Fleury, my decision to stick with him is, No. 1, it is really hard to find goaltending, so to just say get rid of him or buy him out, well, OK, that's a reaction, but who do I replace him with?” GM Ray Shero told NHL.com. “At 28 years old, there's not a goalie in the League who's won more games than him the last four years, the last three years, the last two years. He's won more games than anybody. You've got to win games to get to the playoffs.”

New goaltending coach Mike Bales will try to clean him up.

“For Marc, it is about taking the necessary steps to improve his game,” Shero said. “He is coming to an important part of his career. There's no doubt about it. In terms of trying to help and make him as good as he can be, there are still some parts of his game that he can improve upon and focus on. Those are things that we're going to continue to work on with him. He's serious about trying to improve his game, and he's got to do that.”

Here other veterans hoping to bounce back with better performances this season:

Jonathan Quick, GT, Los Angeles Kings: It took him a while to overcome a back injury last season. His overall ratios (2.45, .902) were dramatically worse than the season before (1.95, .929). But by April he looked like his old self, going 6-3-1 with a 2.25 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. In 18 playoff games he posted a 1.86 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.

The Kings traded Jonathan Bernier to Toronto, so Quick won’t have to fret about a time-share arrangement this season. Coach Darryl Sutter expects him to regain his workhorse status.

Scott Hartnell, W, Philadelphia Flyers: After scoring 37 goals in 2011-12, he struggled through an injury-marred, lockout-shortened campaign – scoring just eight times in 32 games. His power-play production dropped from 16 goals to just four.

Hartnell did his best work with Claude Giroux and Jaromir Jagr two seasons back. After Jagr’s departure via free agency, the Flyers struggled to replicate that offensive chemistry. Hartnell bounced around various line combinations and also missed 16 games with a broken foot.

Now the Flyers will try a new mix with Vincent Lecavalier replacing Daniel Briere on the front lines.

Travis Zajac, C, New Jersey Devils: From 2008-10, he scored 129 points while establishing himself as a true No. 1 center. But during the past two seasons, he scored just 26 points in 63 games while struggling to come back from Achilles tendon repairs.

Can he reemerge this season for a team that lost Zach Parise to free agency last summer and Ilya Kovalchuk to defection this summer? Zajac, who is in the second year of an eight-year, $48 million contract, will have to mesh with new teammates Ryane Clowe, Michael Ryder and Jaromir Jagr.

Carey Price, GT, Montreal Canadiens: His goals-against average has climbed from 2.35 to 2.43 and 2.59 the last three seasons. His save percentage has slipped from .923 to .916 and .905. He lost seven of his last 10 games during the regular season. He had awful ratios on the playoffs (3.36, .894) before getting hurt.

The Canadiens hired a new goaltending coach, Stephane Waite, to straighten him out. “His reputation is established,” Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin told NHL.com. “What he did in Chicago with two different goaltenders, winning two Cups; that speaks for itself.”

Jeff Skinner, W, Carolina Hurricanes: He produced 31 goals and 32 assists with a plus-3 rating as a rookie back in 2010-11. Last year he produced just 13 goals with 11 assists and a minus-21 rating in 42 games. Concussions have marred his last two seasons.

“I think for Jeff, it's a big year for him,” Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller told NHL.com. “He didn't get invited to the Team Canada, which I'm sure disappointed him. He knows that he's had stints of play that isn't at Jeff Skinner-caliber level. At times he didn't match up to where he probably should be. On a maturity level, it's around the time of his career where we're looking for consistency.”

Kevin Bieksa, D, Vancouver Canucks: He was outstanding two years ago, scoring eight goals, earning 36 assists with a plus-12 rating and 94 PIMs. Last season he played just 36 of the 48 games while battling a nagging groin injury. He produced just six goals and six assists.

He struggled through a pair of eight-game pointless streaks last season. But he figures to maintain his key role this season for new coach John Tortorella.

“He’s a proven Cup winner, very intense,” Bieksa told the Toronto Sun. “He’s Italian like myself, so that’s going to be great. We’re really excited to have a clean slate. We have high expectations. We’ve had the same core guys there awhile, but that’s the result of taking long-term deals at bargain rates because they want to be there. The guys left money on the table to stay. There is talk we’re getting older, but we’re as hungry as ever.”

Milan Lucic, W, Boston Bruins: After scoring 56 goals the previous two seasons, he scored just seven in 46 games last year. Then he sprang to life during the playoffs, scoring seven goals and earning 12 assists in 22 games. “There’s no worse feeling than losing in the Stanley Cup finals,” Lucic recently told the Boston Herald. “But on a personal note, I felt pretty good about where my game was, so you just want to pick up where you left off.”

Lucic is intrigued by the possibility of playing opposite of newcomer Jarome Iginla on one of Boston’s top two lines.

Milan Michalek, W, Ottawa Senators: After scoring 35 goals the previous season, he scored just four in 23 games during his injury-marred campaign. He played with chronic right knee pain and missed a chunk of games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery.

“It helped a little, but it didn't help with the pain and the swelling,” Michalek told the Ottawa Sun after last season. “It's been tough. You play with pain, you just want to think about the game, but there is a pain, it's been tough. My game is a lot about speed. If I can't use my speed it's tough for me. I just want to get 100% healthy and use my speed.”

The Senators coaching staff is eager to see if Michalek comes to training camp with his old jump.

Patrick Sharp, W-C, Chicago Blackhawks: After scoring 67 goals the previous two seasons, he scored just six in 28 games last season while struggling with a shoulder injury and other ailments. At one stretch he went 10 games without scoring a goal.

But Sharp put those frustrations behind him in the playoffs as he delivered 10 goals and six assists in 23 games. The Blackhawks lost some of their supplemental scoring to free agency, but they will graduate talent young forwards into key roles to keep the offense rolling.

Sharp will have every opportunity to regain his 30-goal form.

Mike Smith, GT, Phoenix Coyotes: After a breakout season – 39-18-10, 2.22 GAA, .930 save percentage – he returned to earth last season. He was 15-12-5 with a 2.58 GAA and a .910 save percentage. Was he just a one-hit wonder?

Coyotes GM Don Maloney believes not. That is why he signed him to a six-year contract extension. “We believe Mike can be one of the best goaltenders in the game. We believe we have the style and infrastructure that can put him in that category,” he told NHL.com. “That includes our style of play and Sean Burke's tutelage. We still have a lot of work to do, but at least I feel we've got the best coaching staff in the League and a goaltender I think can be as good as any. We just need to bring it out of him.”

Dan Boyle, D, San Jose Sharks: After scoring 213 points in his previous four seasons, he scored just 20 in 46 games last season. He is 37 years old and and entering the last year of his contract, although he is discussing an extension with the team.

Boyle is no longer the workhorse who ranked in the top 10 in ice time five times in a span of six seasons. But has he demonstrated in the playoffs (eight points in 11 games), he can still be major offensive force.

Not long ago they were considered prospects. Then they gained significant NHL seasoning and began making an impact in the highest level of hockey.

Now these centers seem prepared to do some real damage:

Derek Stepan, New York Rangers: After two solid NHL seasons, he emerged as a true No. 1 center last season while scoring 18 goals and earning 26 assists in 48 games. His plus-25 rating gave him a plus-47 raring for his 212 NHL games. Stepan, 23, is due for a big long-term deal – but the Rangers are up against the salary cap after refusing to buy out Brad Richards. If he signs a “bridge contract,” he will have every incentive to drive up his value this season.

Nazem Kadr, Toronto Maple Leafs: His long-awaited breakout occurred last season: 18 goals and 26 assists in 48 regular seasons and another four points in seven playoff games. During his previous two NHL tours he scored just 19 points in 50 games. Kadr, 22, did fade late last season – scoring just five points with a minus-5 rating in 12 April games – so he has room for growth.

Cody Hodgson, Buffalo Sabres: He was stuck in a secondary offensive role in Vancouver, behind Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler. Nobody is blocking him in Buffalo. He scored 15 goals and earned 19 assists while playing all 48 games last season. Once he finally signs his new contract, Hodgson, 23, will get every chance to establish himself as the No. 1 center for years to come.

Adam Henrique, New Jersey Devils: The loss of star wingers Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk has greatly diminished this team’s offense. Jaromir Jagr, Michael Ryder and Ryane Clowe are questionable replacement. That will make it that much harder for Henrique, 23, to live up to his new six-year, $24 million contract. He scored 11 goals but earned only five assists in 42 games last season, quite a step back from his solid production (16 goals, 35 assists) in 74 games the season before.

Lars Eller, Montreal Canadiens: He is a strong two-way center, capable of anchoring the third and pushing for work on the second line as well. His production has climbed steadily during his three NHL season and he produced 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists) in 46 games last season. Eller, 24, scored 13 points in 14 April games last season to prove he could fill a bigger offensive role.

Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames: In 170 NHL games over parts of four seasons, he has scored 23 goals and earned 39 assists. Now the Flames want Backlund, 24, to break out as their No. 1 center. This has been a long time coming for the 24th overall pick of the 2007 draft.

Ilya Kovachuk sent shock waves though the NHL by retiring from the New Jersey Devils so he could finish his career in Russia.

He walked away from the last 12 years and final $77 million on his contract. The Devils signed off on his departure, but Kovalchuk gutted the franchise with his awkwardly timed decision.

In the process of doing so made every general manager employing top Russian players a bit more nervous.

The Kontinental Hockey League is becoming a worthy rival of the NHL in global competition. It is expanding well beyond the borders of Russia to Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Russian billionaire businessman Gennady Timchenko bought Hartwall Arena in Helskinki and prompted the Finnish club Jokerit would join the KHL for the 2014-15 season.

The KHL offers competitive pay, bigger ice surfaces and more player-friendly scheduling than the NHL. When Gary Bettman shut down the NHL last season, the KHL brought many Russia stars home and made a favorable impression on them.

Kovalchuk, 30, served as captain of the powerful SKA St. Petersburg team during the lockout. He will return to that role after leaving the Devils and he figures to wear the “C” for Russia during the Olympics in Sochi.

“This decision was something I have thought about for a long time going back to the lockout and spending the year in Russia,” Kovalchuk explained in a statement. “Though I decided to return this past season, (Devils GM) Lou (Lamoriello) was aware of my desire to go back home and have my family there with me.”

The rise of the KHL complicates life for NHL general managers, including Doug Armstrong of the Blues. Here are the reasons why:

European players, especially Russians, are less willing to spend time in the American Hockey League making their adjustment to the North American game. The ambitious KHL has made the European market much bigger. The Blues have several unsigned draft picks playing in Russia, including goaltender Konstatin Barulin and forwards Viktor Alexandrov. (Winger Sergei Andronov proved to be an exception to this rule. He left Russia before last season to sign an AHL deal with Peoria.)

Established European players will be more difficult to woo to the NHL. Armstrong hoped to sign center Jori Lehtera to fill his No. 2 center slot, but the Finnish star opted to continue playing in Russia. Armstrong had to turn to free agency instead, landing Derek Roy for about twice the money he hoped to pay Lehtera. That contract created a salary cap crunch that contributed to the David Perron trade.

More Russian players may elect to stay in Russia or return there in their prime. The Blues convinced elite Russian prospect Vladimir Tarasenko to sign his entry-level deal to play in the NHL, but the KHL will keep wooing him. Signing Tarasenko when he becomes a restricted free agent could become a bigger challenge.

Over the long haul, Ilya Kovalchuk’s departure could help the New Jersey Devils. The latter years of his contract would have proven burdensome to the franchise.

He had 12 years and $77 million on the contract he walked away from. Devils hockey czar Lou Lamoriello gained considerable long-range payroll flexibility with Kovaluchuk off to finish his career is Russia.

But in the near term the Devils will be hard-pressed to replace his goal-scoring. This team will need young forwards like Travis Zajac (20 points in 48 games last season) and Adam Henrique (16 points in 42 games) to take big steps forward next season.

“Time will tell, but it definitely puts us in an awkward position as far as the makeup of our team,” goaltender Martin Brodeur told the Newark Star-Ledger. “We counted on Kovy to give us offense. In our minds we didn’t have to worry about some part of our offense. He was the power play. He played the whole two minutes.

“Out of the blue this kills some spirit. Everyone is going to be scratching their heads to see where we go from here to replace him and maybe change the makeup of our team. I don’t think you can find a guy that does what he does, who plays the amount of minutes he does. It frees up (cap) room in the future, but right now it’s kind of tough because everyone is under contract for next year. Not a lot of free agents out there. This came maybe a couple of weeks too late.”

By committing to Kovalchuk, the Devils were unable to keep Zach Parise and David Clarkson from exiting as free agents the last two seasons. After losing Clarkson to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lamoriello overpaid ($24 million!) to add big winger Ryane Clowe.

This team still has franchise stalwarts Brodeur and forward Patrik Elias, but those players are in their twilight years. Lamoriello spent this year’s first-round pick to land future No. 1 goaltender Cory Schneider from the Vancouver Canucks.

The Devils’ loss of their first-round pick in 2014 – their league punishment for circumventing the salary cap on Kovalchuk’s contract – exacerbates the situation.

The New Jersey Devils will have to make their playoff push without top winger Ilya Kovalchuk, who will miss up to a month with a shoulder injury suffered Saturday night.

Kovalchuk is the team’s second leading scorer with 10 goals and 17 assists. But his solid all-around play makes him New Jersey’s most valuable forward.

He plays in all game situations and leads all NHL forwards in playing time with 25:13 per game.

So how does the team adapt? The addition of former 21-goal scorer Matt D’Agostini in a trade with the St. Louis Blues helps some. Winger Harri Pesonen will come up from the AHL to lend a hand.

In another week, Dainus Zubrus (wrist) could come back from the injured list. But none of these guys is a Kovalchuk.

“When you lose your top player and top point getter, it's something that's hard on a team's morale, especially for the first few games,” goaltender Martin Brodeur told the Newark Star-Ledger. “But life has to go on. It's important that guys take it in their own hands to fill the void.

“A lot of our offense goes through him, especially the power play. It'll be an adjustment. It gives opportunities to other players.”

By finally reaching a new collective bargaining agreement, the NHL and NHLPA guaranteed us another look at the Finnish Flash and several other big-time scorers in the twilight of their careers.

When play resumes, Selanne will continue his climb up the NHL’s all-time scoring ladder. While he is unlikely to reach the 700-goal plateau -- his career total is 663 goals -- he could reaching the Top 15 in total points this season.

Since turning 40 years old, Selanne has scored 146 points in two seasons. He has scored at least 26 goals in his last four seasons. He scored 66 points at the age of 41, with 28 coming on the power play.

Selanne starred even as younger Anaheim teammates were struggling mightily last season. He refuses to get old, so expect him to make the most of this potential farewell season.

He will be one of several league elders trying to deliver one more season of premium production.

Here are some others:

Martin St. Louis, W, Tampa Bay Lightning: He suffered a 25-point drop in production last season due largely to his team's power play outage. But this playmaking winger missed just five games with injuries, averaged 22 1/2 minutes of ice time and finished with 74 points. St. Louis, 37, remains a point-per-game threat this season within the Steven Stamkos-led Lightning offense. The addition of defensemen Matt Carle and Sami Salo to the power-play points should make Tampa Bay more efficient with the man advantage.

Ray Whitney, W, Dallas Stars: As a 39-year-old, he scored 77 points and tied for 12th in NHL scoring last season. The only other players to score that many points at that age since 2000-01 are Selanne (in 2010-11) and Hall of Famer Adam Oates (in 2000-01). Whitney leaves a nice set-up in Phoenix to join the Stars, where he could find himself playing with shooter Michael Ryder (35 goals last season) and former point-per-game center Derek Roy. Whitney should boost the Dallas power play; he scored at least 19 power-play points in eight of his previous nine seasons.

Jaromir Jagr, W, Dallas Stars: He roared back into the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers after a three-year hiatus in Europe. Jagr, 40, scored 31 points in his first 32 games last season. He faded in the second half, scoring 23 points in his last 41 games. Now he must quickly acclimate himself with a new team. Experts see his playmaking skills as a natural fit with sturdy Stars forward Jamie Benn. During the lockout Jagr scored 24 goals and added 27 assists for Rytiri Kladno in the Czech Republic's top league.

Daniel Alfredsson, W, Ottawa Senators: He appeared headed toward retirement a few years back after struggling to just 31 points and a minus-19 total. But Alfredsson, 40, bounced back to score 27 goals and add 32 assists last season for a resurgent team. His summer training left him feeling as good as new. “My body feels a lot further ahead of where it was last year at this point,” he told the Senators' website. “I expect to come into camp fitter and stronger than I did last year.” Alas, there was no training camp. More recently Alfredsson expressed frustration over the lockout and suggested he might not come back at all if the matter wasn’t resolved soon.

Jarome Iginla, W, Calgary Flames: He scored 67 points last season, his lowest total since 2005-06. He scored just 12 points in first 23 games while earning a minus-7 rating. But don’t write him off just yet. He finished well, scoring 19 points in his last 19 games. Iginla, 35, looked more like the player who scored 43 goals and added 43 assists the season before. Before a long-overdue influx of legitimate young scorers will prod Iginla back toward his usual all-star form.

Patrik Elias, W/C, New Jersey Devils: The lockout helped him recover from off-season groin muscle repairs. And he got better as he got older, jumping from 48 points to 62 and 78 points the last two seasons. Elias, 36, scored 29 points on the power play after scoring just 31 PPP the previous two seasons combined. The Devils will miss departed scorer Zach Parise this season, but Travis Zajac’s return to full strength should provide a boost.

Andy McDonald, W/C, St. Louis Blues. Injuries have limited him to just 83 games during the last two seasons. But he scored 10 goals and added 22 assists in 25 games last season. He has generally played on one of the top lines since coming to St. Louis and averaged 0.81 points per game. Former coach Andy Murray shifted McDonald, 35, to the wing and that move allowed him to better use his speed. He also plays a key role on the St. Louis power play.

Shane Doan, W, Phoenix Coyotes: This franchise's financial instability caused the team captain to shop around before re-upping in the Valley of the Sun. Now Doan, 36, hopes to finish his career in Glendale. The reliable power forward has scored 20 or more goals 11 times in the last 12 years. Last year he produced 50 points in 79 regular season games and nine more in 16 playoff games.

Ryan Smyth, W, Edmonton Oilers: He scored 26 points in first 26 games last season before yielding some even-strength and power-play time to his talented young teammates. His production faded, leading his fourth consecutive season points reduction. But Smyth, 36, starred at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland during the lockout, so his hands are still good. It’ll be interesting to see how Edmonton’s offensive chemistry evolves beyond the obvious Jordan Eberle/Ryan Nugent-Hopkins pairing.

When the National Hockey League gets back to business, several once-prominent centers will strive to regain their old scoring form.

The Colorado Avalanche have players in that category, Matt Duchene and Peter Stastny.

Back in 2010-11 Duchene broke out with a strong 27-goal, 40 assist season. He followed that by scoring 16 points in his first 21 games last season. But then a knee injury derailed his campaign. He worked his way back onto the ice, but produced just one assist in 12 March games. He switched trainers during the off-season, got back into top shape and then put up numbers in Europe during the lockout. It will be interesting to see how all the offensive pieces coming together in Colorado this season.

Stastny was a point-per-game scorer until the last two seasons, when he slipped to 57 and 53 points. Not surprisingly he became the subject of many trade rumors, especially with center Ryan O’Reilly on the climb. He scored just 21 points in his first 37 games last season, then picked up his production to 32 points in his last 42 games. The addition of physical winger Steve Downie for the final quarter last season (13 points in 20 games, plus-9) gave Colorado new life up front.

Here are some other centers looking to get back on track:

Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks: Remember when he was a Top 10 center in the league? That seems like a long time ago to fans in Anaheim. Getzlaf averaged 1.09 points per game during a four season span. So how does a player like that fall to 11 goals, 46 assists and a minus-11 rating? Coach Bruce Boudreau hopes to solve that riddle while trying to re-ignite this formerly explosive offense. Getzlaf scored four goals in October, then scored just seven more all season. He scored at a 54-point pace in the first half and a 61-point pace in the second half. Yeech.

Travis Zajac, New Jersey Devils: He scored 25 goals, dished 42 assists and earned a plus-22 rating during the 2009-10 season, He appeared to be a star on the rise. Then he slipped to 13 goals with 31 assists and a minus-6 rating the next season and then missed most of last season after tearing his left Achilles tendon. He scored 14 points in 24 playoff games and figures to center a scoring line this season.

Alex Steen, St. Louis Blues: The departure of Jason Arnott via free agency could move the versatile Steen to center on one of the top three lines. He could also man a point on one of the power-play units. Alex scored 17 points with a plus-14 rating in his first 24 games last season, but a concussion ruined his campaign. He recovered during the offseason and spent some of his lockout time in Europe. In his previous two full seasons he scored 98 points.

Derek Roy, Dallas Stars: He was scoring at a point-per-game pace in Buffalo two seasons ago until he suffered a torn quadriceps muscle. He never got back to full speed last season as the big-budget Sabres struggled for much of the season. Roy was especially bad on the road, scoring just 16 points in 40 games while earning a minus-16 rating. Then he moved on to Dallas . . . and almost immediately underwent shoulder surgery. The lockout gave him a chance to heal and the talented Stars will give him every chance to revive his playmaking ability.

Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings: After scoring 115 goals during a three-year span for the Flyers, he scored just 21 for Columbus and Los Angles last season – and six of them game in two games. He showed a bit more life during the playoffs, scoring eight times in 20 games. Perhaps flanking his buddy Mike Richards on a full-time basis will revive his finishing skills. Also, Carter makes $6 million a year. If he doesn’t pick up his play he could become the target of a compliance buyout in the next collective bargaining agreement.

As the lockout dragged on, more NHL players joined European teams. Earlier we gave you our first-team honorees.

Here are our second and third NHL refugee all-star teams – and some honorable mentions -- for players toiling overseas:

SECOND TEAM

W – Jaromir Jagr, Rytiri Kladno, Czech Republic: A minor groin strain slowed this would-be Dallas Stars newcomer for a spell, but he has 18 goals and 23 assists in his first 27 games back home.

W – Ilya Kovalchuk, SKA St. Petersburg, Russia: He started quickly to earn the KHL’s player-of-the-month honors in October. The New Jersey Devils star has scored 14 goals and 20 assists in his first 29 games.

C – John Tavares, SC Bern, Switzerland: In 25 games he has scored 16 goals and added 23 assists. The Spengler Cup Tournament gave him a taste of international play. “You can really feel the mystique of this tournament,” Tavares told reporters. “The history, the crowds . . .”

D – Sergei Gonchar, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Russia: In 32 games he has three goals and 20 assists. Penguins have taken note and may make a trade pitch for him.

GT -- Semyon Varlamov, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Russia: He had three shutouts in his first 14 games while posting a 1.56 goals-against average and .952 save percentage. The Colorado Avalanche hope to see similar form should the NHL resume playing.

W – Ales Hemsky, HC CSOB Pojistovna Pardubice, Czech Republic: He has always been a pass-first player for the Edmonton Oilers. But in his 25 games overseas this season he scored 14 goals and added 17 assists.

C – Tomas Plekanec, Rytiri Kladno, Czech Republic: Playing with Jagr sure is fun! He has 20 goals and 22 assists in his first 28 games. He seldom scores like that for the Montreal Canadiens.

D – Mark Streit, SC Bern, Switzerland: In his first 29 games the New York Islanders star scored seven goals and added 18 assists.

GT – Tuukka Rask. HC Skoda Plzen, Czech Republic: If the NHL resumes, he will assume the starting role for the Boston Bruins. He sharpened up those skills while earning one shutout in his first 17 games with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.

HONORABLE MENTION

W – Chris Stewart, ETC Crimmitschau, Germany: In 15 games he scored 6 goals and added 14 assists. Earlier the St. Louis Blues power forward played five games (earning one assist) for Bili Tygri Liberec in the Czech Republic.

C – Pavel Datsyuk, CSKA Moskva, Russia: In his first 27 games the Detroit Red Wing has nine goals and 23 assists.

GT -- Cory Schneider, Ambri-Piotta, Switzerland: In his first seven games he posted a 2.82 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. The potential Vancouver Canucks starter is playing in the Spengler Cup with Fribourg Gotteron.

Faulk, drafted 37th overall in 2010, played just one season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (33 points in 39 games) after developing his talent with the U.S. National U-18 team. He played just 35 games at the intermediate AHL level, 13 in the playoffs, 12 in the regular season.

Last season he scored eight goals and added 14 assists with a minus-16 rating in 66 games for Carolina. He finished well, scoring 20 points in his last 56 games. Then he scored eight points in eight games for Team USA at the 2012 World Championship.

“Playing defense in the NHL is very difficult and playing at 19 years old is even more difficult,” Carolina GM Jim Rutherford told NHL.com. “But as long as I've been around the game, even as far back as when I played, I've never seen anyone handle the position like Justin Faulk has as a teenager.”

Carolina bolstered its offense by adding forward Jordan Staal and Alexander Semin. Power-play specialist Joe Corvo also returned to bolster the blue line.

Faulk is positioned to post big numbers in his second NHL season and become one of the league’s better young offensive defensemen.

Here are some other emerging D-men to watch:

Jake Gardiner, Maple Leafs: He got better as his rookie season progressed. He scored 14 points (two on the power play) in 42 games before the All-Star break and 16 points (five on the PP) in 33 games after it. He averaged 1:58 per game with the man advantage and should see that role grow this season. He scored 41 points in 41 games during his third season at the University of Wisconsin, so he is accustomed to assuming a primary offensive role.

Justin Schultz, Oilers: He opted not to sign with the Ducks and put himself in the free agent market after starring at the University of Wisconsin. In his last two seasons there, he scored 91 points in 78 games. Edmonton won the bidding for him, beating out 25 other teams. At 22 years old he has the physical maturity to play a major NHL role right away. One this potential explosive team, Schultz could post huge numbers and win Calder honors.

Ryan Ellis, Predators: He scored 101 points in 58 Ontario Hockey League games during his final season of junior hockey. In his first pro season, he scored 18 points in 29 games for Milwaukee of the American Hockey League and 11 points in 32 games for Nashville. In limited duty, Ellis delivered highest even-strength scoring rate among Predators defensemen. Now he will get his shot a filling the power play void left by the departing Ryan Suter, who played in 75 percent of Nashville’s power play time.

Roman Josi, Predators: He must improve his defensive game to earn an even-strength opportunity with Weber, but has the skill to compete with Ellis for power play time. He scored 45 points in 68 games during his last two seasons with Bern in the Swiss elite league. He followed that with 40 points in 69 games for Milwaukee in his first North American season and 16 points in his first 52 games last season.

Ryan Murray, Columbus: The second overall pick of the 2012 draft is expected to play right away. He scored 104 points in 168 games in the Western Hockey League and starred in international competition. The Islanders wanted him so badly that goofy owner Charles Wang reportedly offered his whole draft for him. But the Blue Jackets opted to use this pick to gain a defensive cornerstone to build upon. Murray is mature beyond his years and steady with the puck in both ends. The Blue Jackets can take their time developing his offensive game with Jack Johnson, James Wisniewski and Nikita Nikitin running the power play points.

Slava Voynov, Kings: Jack Johnson’s departure in the Jeff Carter trade gave him an opportunity to claim a bigger offensive role. He scored eight points with a plus-5 rating in last 18 games. Overall, he produced eight goals and 12 assists with a plus-12 rating in 54 games as a rookie. He added just three points during the playoff run, however. He should improve on the six power-play points he scored last season.

Adam Larsson, Devils: His rookie season took a turn for worst when Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban plowed him during a Feb. 2 game. A bruised lower back shelved him for 10 games and he earned just two assists with a minus-1 rating in 16 games after coming back. Overall he posted 2/16/18 line with a minus-7 rating and 18 PIMs in 65 games. The fourth overall pick of the 2011 draft had just four power-play points last season but could earn a bigger role this season.

Stefan Elliott, Avalanche: He scores like a forward, penetrating the offensive zone and picking spots with his wrist shot. The 49th overall pick of the 2009 draft piled up ridiculous WHL numbers, including 31 goals and 50 assists in 71 games during his final season at Saskatoon. Elliott broke into the NHL last season with 13 points in his first 39 games last season. He also had 14 points in his first 30 regular season games at the AHL level. Once he earns regular time in the NHL, look out. He has just scratched the surface of his offensive potential as a pro.

Brendan Smith, Red Wings: Nicklas Lidstrom’s retirement and Brad Stuart’s free agency exit gives him a clear shot at earning a primary role this season. He scored 52 points in 42 games during his last season at the University of Wisconsin. He scored 66 points in 120 games in two seasons with Grand Rapids of the AHL. He scored seven points in 14 games with the Red Wings, assuming an offensive role with Lidstrom shelved by injury in February.

Zach Parise wants to remain with the New Jersey Devils. And the Devils franchise really, really wants to keep him.

Can the Devils make this happen?

Sure, but it will definitely not be easy. Consider all the variables:

The Devils haven’t been able to pay their bills despite the team's on-ice success. A hockey-loving billionaire with deep pockets doesn’t own this team. The lead owner in the current group, Jeff Vanderbeek, has been recruiting at least one more rich guy to give the franchise a much-needed infusion of cash. Failing that the team will be hard-pressed to spend to the NHL’s anticipated salary cap limit of $70 million.

New Jersey currently has more than $28 million in projected salary cap space. That is the good news. The bad news is that its list of unrestricted free agents includes Parise, Martin Brodeur, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Steve Bernier, Ryan Carter and playoff hero Bryce Salvador.

In 2013, Patrik Elias, David Clarkson, Travis Zajac, Adam Henrique and Marek Zidlicky will be due new deals. All but Henrique will be UFAs.

Ilya Kovalchuk’s $100 million deal set an obvious contract target for Parise. Can New Jersey commit more than $6 million in annual cap hits in another lifetime deal for another forward?

Brodeur might or might not retire. Back-up Johan Hedberg is another of New Jersey’s UFAs. What will the Devils do in goal? Would Brodeur return with a cap-friendly contract that helps retain Parise and other key free agents? If Brodeur packs it in, will the Devils go with Hedberg or make a big (and expensive) play for, say, Roberto Luongo?

The Devils don’t have a lot of front-burner prospects ready to make the NHL jump. The Albany Devils missed the AHL playoffs. So filling in a lot of blanks with low-cost, budget-balancing young pros doesn’t appear to be an option.